Design can transform a package and tell a story about the product inside it. Every aspect of packaging, from the aesthetics to how the product feels in the hand and the unboxing experience, has to be in sync and on-brand. And in the highly competitive beauty industry, every design choice matters—because it can influence a sale or inspire brand loyalty.

The photo above features 3INA, a UK mass-market brand redesigned by Maria Carre—more about the project follows.

Package designers in the beauty industry have numerous specialties, such as fragrance bottle design, or branding expertise for makeup, skincare, or hair care. Color and design trends affect each product category in different ways.

A more clinical look with lots of white has dominated skincare, but many brands are now embracing pretty pastels and vibrant pops of color. Vitamasques, Florence by Mills, and Bubble Skincare are just a few examples. 

No matter the product type, designing packaging for beauty products is about more than choosing a trending color, font, or graphic style to decorate a bottle, tube, or box. Keeping up with the latest trends is important, but form and function matter more. Beauty packaging has to protect the product, dispense it properly, and ensure a user-friendly application. And for many beauty brands, packaging’s goal is to deliver a luxurious user experience.

Designers use shape, color, and decoration to create packaging that will resonate with consumers—then, beauty marketers collaborate with suppliers to bring a designer’s vision to market.

Here’s a guide to some of the most popular current and future design trends—and insights from experts discussing other factors influencing packaging in the beauty industry. Read on.

Using Color & Design to Connect with Consumers

Color is a “potent psychological tool,” according to a report by Straits Research, which states that the color of packaging can increase brand recognition by up to 80%, directly impacting the consumer’s decision to make a purchase.

Graphic design trends often inspire logos and label styles. Brands should choose a style that’s connected to the product in some way, experts advise. “Handwritten fonts signal organic and artisanal,” says Luke Heinecke, a digital marketing consultant at Linear Design.

Patrick Llewellyn, CEO of 99designs by VistaPrint, says many brands are using “saturated pastels” to connect with Gen Z consumers. Llewellyn also mentions the popularity of Sol de Janeiro, our 2025 Beauty Company of the Year for Excellence in Packaging. “Sol de Janeiro uses vivid hues on its packaging, and its designs evoke joy,” he says.

The consumer’s age is a factor that affects design choices, experts say. “Younger Gen Z consumers are drawn to pastels and bright colors that feel fun and playful, while brands targeting a more mature audience should probably lean towards neutral tones,” says Kate Ross, a beauty specialist on the marketing team at Irresistible Me, which specializes in hair extensions. “Earth-toned neutrals look elegant and often convey sophistication and luxury when combined with a minimalist look,” she says.

Tom Newmaster, a partner at FORCEpkg, a branding and packaging design agency, advises, “Know what your customers expect and want from your brand. Younger generations will always be drawn to loud, colorful packaging while older generations may be more attracted to minimalism.”

Minimalist aesthetics are always popular in beauty packaging, but Newmaster says a brand can take the look too far. “Everybody wants clean and simple, yet shoppers can respond negatively to oversimplification—the brand loses personality,” he says.

WGSN + Coloro’s 5 key colors in WGSN’s Global Color Forecast for A/w 26-27

Color Trends for 2025 & Beyond

Aligning with on-trend colors can attract the consumer’s eye, so brands often pay attention. In beauty, color trends influence both packaging and product formulations.

Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse, is a mellow, earthy brown hue that many beauty brands have embraced. Beyond brown, “current color trends for beauty brands include many muted tones,” says Heinecke.

WGSN, in partnership with Coloro, revealed its forecast for the Fall/Winter 2026-27 season, including five key colors and the Color of the Year for 2026, Transformative Teal. “It’s the perfect color for change and redirection,” WGSN states.

WGSN and Coloro’s 5 key colors for F/W 25/26:

• Transformative Teal: a mix of dark blue and aqua, it is a gender-inclusive and transitional hue
• Wax Paper: a creamy, serene combination of yellow and off-white
• Fresh Purple: linked to royalty, love, mystery, and spirituality
• Cocoa Powder: red-toned brown, which evokes feelings of nostalgia
• Green Glow: a bright yellow-green hue that radiates and illuminates

Riot Atelier designed the packaging for Sadie Skin

Trending Design Styles & Aesthetics

Here are two design styles to keep in mind, according to experts:

Trending Design #1—’Unexepected’

Unexpected design elements and unusual shapes are future design trends we’ll continue to see beauty brands embrace. Design details that go against the norm will be popular this year and beyond, Pentawards predicts.

Sadie Skincare, designed by Riot Atelier, is one example. While many skincare brands opt for clean, white minimalist aesthetics, Sadie Skincare’s bottles are sleek and shiny, with an unexpected round cap that has a stone-like texture.

Beauty brands traditionally opt for understated looks to convey luxury, while mass-market brands have embraced flashy metallics—but Sadie Skincare doesn’t follow these norms.

The brand’s shiny shopping bags and its bottles’ chrome-like finishes “reinvent luxury,” according to Riot Atelier. The design agency states, “We partner with brands determined to revolutionize their industries by carving out new, unseen territory in beauty, luxury, and lifestyle. Our visuals are editorial, sophisticated, and unapologetically unexpected—pushing the narrative to deliver elegance with a provocative edge.”

Jade Purple Brown’s illustrations for Clinique and Flower by Drew

Trending Design #2—Retro Vibes

Gen Z is embracing all things retro, whether it’s swirling 70s patterns or bold colors with pixelated graphics that look very “Y2K”—and experts say the trend will continue.

Screenshot Media Group, a social media and influencer agency, says that Gen Z finds stability by embracing the past. “Gen Z isn’t just replaying the past; they’re remixing it, fusing nostalgia with digital savvy to craft a cultural identity that’s all their own,” the company says. “Grasping this blend of the old and the new is key for brands eager to connect with a generation that prizes authenticity, creativity, and real connections.”

Jade Purple Brown is an artist, package designer, and illustrator who often partners with beauty brands, including Bobbi Brown, Clinique, and Flower by Drew. Brown’s designs showcase her retro style, with bold colors and fluid lines that project a 70s vibe. She describes her style as “joyous, psychedelic, and imaginative.” Last year, Brown partnered with Urban Decay Cosmetics to create a mural displayed on a wall at the Food Bazaar in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood to celebrate Black History Month.

So How Will Retro Looks Change in 2025 and Beyond?

Pentawards predicts The Gatsby Look is one design trend we’ll see next, while experts at Adobe say one design trend called Time Warp will dominate this year.

Time Warp combines retro and future elements. “From Ancient Rome to Art Deco and 70s Disco, creatives are tapping into the past and remixing those aesthetics to give them contemporary interpretations,” Adobe states. According to the Adobe 2025 Creative Trends Report, the juxtaposition of past and future is captivating Gen Z. “The world is changing rapidly and Time Warp remixes eras and reimagines history for the future,” the report says.

Maria Carre’s redesign of UK brand 3INA Makeup

Using Color Strategically

No matter the trends, your color and design choices should align with your marketing strategy. For makeup brands with a lot of skus, using color strategically as a design element can help the consumer shop.

When Maria Carre, a graphic designer and creative director, redesigned the UK mass-market brand, 3INA Makeup, she swapped all-black packaging for a color-coded system that links each product number to a specific shade. “Whether it’s a lipstick, eyeshadow palette, or foundation, customers can now easily identify their desired shade through the number displayed on the packaging,” Carre states.

Carre’s team developed a colorful and cohesive graphic identity for 3INA, as shown in the “before” and “after” photos. “We maintained consistent proportions across different packaging formats, ensuring a harmonious visual appeal,” Carre explains.

The new design elevates the brand while making it more recognizable in-store. “Colorful store displays and visually engaging packaging create a memorable shopping experience, fostering a connection between customers and the diverse range of 3INA Makeup products,” Carre says.

Irresistible Me

Design Choices Differentiate

Irresistible Me’s Ross explains that the brand focused on functionality with its decision to swap a traditional carton for a round paper tube for its hair extensions. The paper tube protects the long hair pieces during shipping. It also differentiates the brand from competitors, and looks eye-catching in online videos, which is essential for an e-commerce brand.

Irresistible Me’s double-sided hair extension tape is packaged in pastel pink packets. “Colors that align with your brand’s DNA will appeal to your target customer,” says Ross, commenting on Irresistible Me’s playful look. “Our color choices and design styles always align with our brand’s messaging,” she says.

Half Magic Beauty’s compostable compact

Sustainability Influences Packaging Design

Sustainability is now standard, rather than a trend, since recycling initiatives are top-of-mind for beauty brands—and it is influencing package design. We’re seeing more refillable packaging, and a rising interest in using bio-based and compostable materials.

Charlotte Tilbury is a leader in ensuring recycling is easy for consumers, Mintel states in its Global Beauty Packaging Trends Report. Other brands will no doubt follow suit. Customers access Charlotte Tilbury’s recycling portal online, fill out a form to receive a free return label, and receive a 20% discount off a new refillable moisturizer.

Doniella Davy, a makeup artist who rose to fame when she created the glittery makeup looks for “Euphoria,” the television series, launched her own brand called Half Magic Beauty. Metallic sparkle eyeshadow singles are in compostable compacts. The compacts are PaperFoam, a trademarked material made from potato starch and cellulose.

Half Magic Beauty’s compact is designed so that the consumer can insert the tip of a pen into the bottom of the compact to remove the pan and any excess glue. Consumers can either mail it back to Half Magic for recycling, or place it in a home compost bin.

Key Takeaway: Be ‘On-Brand,’ Not ‘On-Trend’

In the end, trends are important to be aware of, but beauty brands should be extremely selective when deciding which trends to embrace. Trend forecasts often inspire and can spark creativity, but the most successful designs tell a brand’s story. “It’s important to be intentional about every design decision so that every aspect of your packaging reinforces your brand’s identity,” says Ross.

Making sure the design elements chosen for your packaging extend to your brand’s online presence is important as well. Heinecke explains that beauty marketers should strive to create a cohesive look—from a brand’s packaging to its website and social media. “Most importantly, design should be cohesive and your aesthetic needs to be aligned with your brand’s story,” he advises.

On a final note, packaging executives at The Estee Lauder Companies, in numerous interviews over the years, have always said the question they always ask themselves is, ‘Is it Estee Lauder?’ before making any packaging design decisions. Remember this, and your packaging will always be more “on-brand,” not “on-trend.”